COUNCIL tax bills will rise by at least £40 from April 1 for Blackburn with Darwen residents.

But householders have been warned the annual payment for borough services could increase by at least 20 per cent over the next five years.

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This would add £200 or more to council tax by 2021.

Blackburn with Darwen's ruling Labour group has decided to end a five-year freeze of the household 'rates' charge and impose a 3.99 per cent increase for 2016/17.

This will be confirmed by the all-purpose authority's Finance Council on February 19, adding £39.65 a year to the annual bill for residents of the 35,400 'Band A' homes which make up more than half of the borough's 60,900 houses.

It will add £46.26 annually to the bills of 9,400 Band B homes, £59.48 to mainly semi-detached Band D houses, and £118.96 to the 100 largest properties in the authority's area.

Borough leader Mohammed Khan warned Blackburn with Darwen's Council Forum on Thursday to expect similar rises for the next five years.

Lancashire County Council will impose a 3.99 per cent rise from April 1 for its services, adding £60 a year to Band D property bills.

Hyndburn Council's Labour leader Miles Parkinson expects to peg his borough's council tax despite the government ending the one per cent subsidy given to local authorities freezing their charges for five years.

Ribble Valley Tory leader Stuart Hirst is considering an increase of up to three per cent, adding a maximum £5 a year to most bills.

The extra 'precept' on council tax to pay for police will rise by 1.99 per cent, £3.20 a year for a Band D home.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service has yet to decide whether to increase its surcharge.

Darwen Town Council has frozen its precept on homes in its area of around £10 a year.

Borough finance boss Andy Kay said: “We are reluctantly having to propose raising council tax for the first time in five years.

"For five years the government has bribed local councils to freeze council tax by allowing the equivalent of a one per cent rise to be included in their support.

"The government has performed a total U-turn and is directly reducing government support.

"It is forcing councils, particularly in the north of England, to increase council tax by 1.99 per cent and adding two per cent for social care.

"All this means the average person in a council tax Band A property will pay 76 pence more a week for their council services.

"Blackburn with Darwen’s council tax remains low compared to other similar councils though any increase adds to the very real pressures people are already facing."

Tory group leader Mike Lee said: "I can accept the two per cent for adult social care but not the extra 1.99 per cent.

"The council's Labour leadership needs to look for more efficiencies rather than cutting services and raising council tax."

Borough Liberal Democrat leader David Foster said: "I fear this rise is inevitable."

A Department for Communities and Local Government spokesman said: "This Government is providing a long-term funding settlement for the first time allowing local authorities to plan with certainty.”

Six parish councils in Blackburn with Darwen raise a small extra council tax charge on residents.

They are Eccleshill, Yate and Pickup, Livesey, North Turton, Pleasington, and Tockholes.